This blog is dedicated to specific aspects of Amateur Radio, such as DXing, Contesting, Morse Code, Operating Techniques, Technological Innovations, Antenna improvements and performance, etc.
Plus news about my Radio station and my accomplishments. No particular policy on the posts, but no politics/religion/irrelevant posts will be tolerated. Respect this and be respected. 73 from Rhodes Island, Dodecanese.

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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Coming up this weekend (20-21/10/2012) is the 2012 Worked All Germany (WAG) Contest. Duration is 24 hours, starting 1500z on Saturday until 1459z on Sunday.The objective ... easy. For non-DL stations, just work DLs with different DOKs as multipliers. DLs work the world, but with their independent ruling/scoring.During the previous years' WAG contests, there was significant confusion with stations participating in JOTA (Jamboree On The Air scouting activity), that led many OPs to getting furious...as is with most contest-weekends nowadays...DARC, that is organizing the WAG Contest, has included in 2012's rules the following recommendations:

According to IARU recommendations operation should be avoided outside contest-preferred segments. To reduce interference with the participants of JOTA contest operation is not allowed in the following contest-free sections:

Monday, October 8, 2012

The 2nd GTC CW Cup held on 6 & 7 October is now over and was most enjoyed by all participants.Many logs have already been received, mostly by non-SV participants, and from their included comments derives that the scope of GTC CW Cup was met and CW was once more well advertised.Personally, as GTC CW Cup Contest Manager, I have to thank each and every one of you guys that have taken part in this year's event of the Greek Telegraphy Club and I assure you that the GTC CW Cup Contest Committee will again do its best to organize an even better 3rd GTC CW Cup next year.Although I had few hours available to participate I managed to make 102 QSOs, at least half of them with GTC members.DXLog.net software which supported GTC CW Cup, provided by Kresimir, 9A5K, worked flawlessly at my side and integrated DXCluster, Rig control and CW keying+messages with no problems.The only issue during the event, was the TRC Contest held during the exact same period with the GTC CW Cup, which caused a bit of confusion to some participants. After all, the TRC committee announced their contest dates quite late, even after we had published the official rules & dates of the 2nd GTC CW Cup.2nd GTC CW Cup rules and info were populated and "marketed" this year especially well, to CW clubs, National Amateur Radio Organizations, IARU, online Contest Calendars, CW enthusiasts worldwide, Amateur Radio magazines and of course, our GTC members list.Nonetheless, the editor of an amateur radio magazine, who always erroneously insists on "Reference to the Source" for his magazine's articles that are published elsewhere, has included the 2nd GTC CW Cup announcement info, as it was sent out originally, but with modified text and not mentioning the Reference to the Source he got it from. It was the only case of this issue, amongst the vast amateur radio media worldwide. Let's hope next time his own rules will be followed.I have to congratulate DK4WF, IK0EFR, SV1/SV2KBS, SV4FFL and SV8GKE for keeping up the pace and bearing with me working them in 4 out of 5 bands. I wish Good Luck with the results to all participants and after the first fortnight of November 2012, all submitted logs will be published at the official site of GTC CW Cup:

Friday, October 5, 2012

Dr. Hrane, YT1AD and his team did it again !! The Southern Pacific DXpeditioners gave us again a nice new one for our DXCC.3D2C Conway Reef DXpedition is over after making in total 71.963 QSOs in HF+6m bands. QSO dispersion was almost equal between EU, AS and NA, although Conway is located in one of the farthest areas for EU and AS.I was lucky enough to work 3D2C in 7 bands (80m-10m, missing 30m) in SSB/CW modes, although I also wanted at least a QSO in digi modes.Below is my search result from 3D2C web site:

3D2C Log Search Results for SV5DKL

CW

SSB

RTTY

PSK

JT65

160m

-

-

-

-

-

80m

X

-

-

-

-

40m

X

-

-

-

-

30m

-

-

-

-

-

20m

X

X

-

-

-

17m

X

X

-

-

-

15m

X

X

-

-

-

12m

-

X

-

-

-

10m

X

-

-

-

-

6m

-

-

-

-

-

2m

-

-

-

-

-

Number of QSO(s) including dupe: 10OC-112 from Conway was also a new IOTA for my log, currently measuring 380 worked IOTAs in total.What was particularly interesting from my side, as far as 3D2C operation is concerned, was the huge signal coming in from Short Path, almost each day on 15m SSB !! The S-meter was always at s8-s9, peaking +10db/+20db at times.Also, while HamCap showed non-existent propagation from my part of the world to Conway on 40 and 80 meters, I was able to work them in both bands at late afternoon hours, before even my sunset.Overall, I believe experience counts. And, for sure, Hrane knows what to do in order to make a DXpedition a big success.Looking forward to next year's Southern Pacific DXpedition from the Boyz, another new one will be much appreciated.73s from Rhodes Isl.Stathis, SV5DKL

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

In regard to my 20th August 2012 post, the EURD Trophy serial nr. 125 has finally arrived and already set atop the highest shelf of my showcase.The Trophy itself is BIG, HEAVY and BEAUTIFUL.Here are a few shots of it for your delight:

As far as I'm concerned, this is one of the most beautiful Amateur Radio Trophies around, and what's most important, is that by using DARC's DCL online system, it was so easy to check, apply and acquire EURD Trophy and not only that.

Again, many thanks to Peter, DO1NPF, for making it so easy for me to apply and guiding me through the whole process. Also, big thanks to DK5PZ for his extreme efforts to produce a highly appreciable Trophy.

Last, but not least, just yesterday I have received most needed QSL cards from SV2ASP/A (Mt. Athos) and ZB2FX (Gibraltar) for confirmation of my last two WAE entities, required by WAE award manager Wolf, DF8AA, in order to confirm and proceed my application through DARC' DCL for the WAE-TOP Plaque.